Sunday, August 2, 2015

Compost composure

Here it is: the end all, be all of compost blog posts!!

Mmmm, that sets expectations a bit too high.

Here's a compilation of how-to-composts and my thoughts on all this garbage.

The info graphic on the left came out during World War I, what are we stupid? We still haven't figured this whole food waste thing out? If you, like most Americans, completely fail at the 6 steps listed in the poster, don't fret. While we will be judging you, just as harshly as we judge ourselves, you can save yourself from a total ecological footprint meltdown.

Compost!

Thought provoking. What comes to mind first: rotten banana peels, grass clippings, and gnats swarming over a moist, humid pile, shoved in the back of your yard - you use a 39 1/2 inch pole to stir it from afar; yet no matter how much you add to it it surprisingly does not take over your yard (unlike Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout).

SO not quite exactly an image of wonder, but close. Here are the best ways to have compost composure:

1. As explained in the poster above: save what will keep and eat what will spoil. If you were subservient readers and watched the Just Eat It documentary mentioned in the last post then you probably picked up on one really good strategy to eat food before it spoils. Have a separate container in the fridge for foods that need to be eaten immediately and eat them immediately. Also ignore expiration and best buy dates. But if you didn't watch the documentary you think we are crazy for giving the latter suggestion so we'll just wait to expand on that one until after you watch it.
2. Make a compost. We suggest not using plastic or metal - that stuff leaches into the soil. I still wouldn't use plastic even if it's "BPA free". I just wouldn't. But I would use heat-treated, water- and weather-resistant wood.
3. Contain it! My grandparents have an open, nose-irritating compost hidden craftily behind their shed where the fences intersect. Cool. But wouldn't it be even nicer if your compost pile wasn't an eye-sore or more importantly a nose-sore for everyone to see or smell? We really like these ones:

4. Maintain your compost. The more you mix it the faster you will have useable soil! Also add brown compostable items like leaves and shredded paper to your grass clippings, green yard waste and food waste. Till and wait, till and wait.
5. Don't disrespect your garbage pile! Meat, breads, milk products, oils and diapers = a recipe for pest attractant. Iffy about what is and isn't okay? Check out these Compost Instructions.
6. Reuse your soil! Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op has a great instructional on how to tell if your compost is ready. Hint: it's brown and smells like dirt. Spread it around, use it in your garden, revel in your ingenuity. Look at you, being all mother-nature-ey, you go Glen Coco.

Questions about composting or need more information? Feel free to check out the info graphic below or leave questions in the comment section! Just eat it, but if your honestly too full, just compost it.